the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Gilderbrandt of the Moscow State University examined him and found the wound already
festered. Bagration was “very weak… and exhausted by the four-day travel and high
fever.” 113
Notwithstanding his serious condition, Bagration kept working. While traveling,
he wrote three reports to Alexander and Kutuzov about the battle of Borodino and
nominated several officers for awards for the courage in combat. 114 Upon his arrival at
Moscow, Bagration appealed to Kutuzov to reward the soldiers of the 2 nd Western Army
for bravery and he prepared list of soldiers who distinguished themselves at the battle. 115
He even ordered to have “[I am] Healthy” as a password for patrols of his 2 nd Western
Army. 116 Jacob Govorov recalled that Bagration, being himself seriously wounded,
expressed deep concern for his soldiers, sending his physicians and aide-de-camps to the
wounded rank and file. 117 He urged the attending physicians to take care of the troops,
“They shed their blood for the motherland and you must attend them as well.” General
Mayevsky recalled, “Gracious prince [Bagration], though half dead [stoya u poroga k
grobu], took great care of me.” 118
Bagration stayed in Moscow for two and half days. His condition seemed to be
improved and Prince Peter “spent [12 September] in a good mood. In the evening he
drank tea with a lemon and slept for some time.” 119 However, on 13 September his health
113 Govorov, Last Days of Prince Peter Bagration, 7-8; Butenev, Recolections, 46-47.
114 Bagration to Kutuzov, Bagration to Marin, 13 September 1812, Correspondence of
Bagration, 242-43, 245. Alexander I, unaware of Bagration’s death, praised his actions at
Borodino and gave him 50,000 rubles. Alexander to Bagration, 26 September 1812, Ibid., 244.
115 Bagration to Kutuzov, 13 September 1812, Ibid., 242-43.
116 Borisevich, “K stoletiu so dnia smerti nezabvennogo kniazia P.I. Bagrationa” [To
Centennial Anniversary of Death of the Beloved Prince P.I. Bagration] Russkii Invalid,
September 1912, No. 204, 3.
117 Govorov, Last Days of Prince Peter Bagration, 9
118 Iz vospominanii S.I. Mayevskogo, [From S.I. Mayevsky’s Recollections], Borodino:
Documents, Letters and Recollections, 372.
119 Govorov, Last Days of Prince Peter Bagration, 9-10
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